September 23, 2006

Call from Orbit

This afternoon I received my “longest distance call” ever! — a call from Anousheh on orbit.

My cell phone display showed a 281 area code, which is the area code for Johnson Space Center. I answered and heard Anousheh’s happy voice. “Hello Peter! This is Anousheh calling from ISS.” This time I was all smiles.

We spoke about how much fun she’s having, flipping and floating and looking out the window. She had always been jealous of how much zero-g time I had amassed on Zero Gravity Corporation’s G-Force One… about 7.5 hours total, 30 seconds at a time. But now Anousheh has blown me away in zero-g time!

Anousheh is thrilled about the space blog and how many people are logging in to read every day. Many thanks to Robin Snelson for doing an awesome job!

We spoke about how her experience is evolving her thoughts about personal spaceflight… what a private space station might look like, and our future need for an Orbital X PRIZE and a Lunar X PRIZE. We also spoke about how grateful she is to Space Adventures for making her trip possible.

I asked her if she had seen the Moon out the window yet, and she said no but she would try to find it. We laughed that she made it to orbit first, but I am going to try to be first to the lunar surface.

Thanks for calling Anousheh. Have a blast for me and everyone else too!

[ wish reading this is not hard for you. I’m very happy an Iranian, especially an Iranian woman went to space. I heard in news that tomorrow morning we can see you. I’ll wave my hand for you. Will you be awake and wave your hands for us too? Regards. Zeinab, 13 years old from Tehran

Wow, this is amazing!!! This was my first time reading this blog and I am so impressed and shocked. It might sounds a little bit wierd for you, but when I reached the part that you were talking about the “area code” and “longest distance”, my eyes were full of tears and chills all over! This is such an amazing feeling, I would give any thing to experience this situations! More power to you all and way to go Anousheh…we are so very proud of you and hope that our prayers from earch will always be accompanying you! By the way, Anousheh, Do you feel any closer to God, over there?!! LOL

Reading some of comments here, I think I can speak for everybody
that your description about our beautiful planet , so peaceful , so blue, brought tears to many eyes, including myself.
Please spread this peace message to all government leaders, when you are back
God bless you

Hi dear Anousheh
This is chakameh, I’m Iranian journalist who lives in France.
First of all I want to tell you that I proud on you and hope you will successful in all your life. Then I want to know is it possible for you to make interview from there or not? It will publish first in Iranian press then I will use it for French press.
Have a nice trip and hope to see one day from near.

i am checking in regularly now.i have posted some of your stuff on my site, hoping to get more people involved! this is fantastic! thanks so much for the opportunity to comment and read comments from all over the world! you are the best!

First of all Thanks alot Peter , Mr snelson , and other ,who I don’t know , creating this great opportunity to others , going to space as tourist , Reading blog of a spacian turist , and writing for a lovely woman up there ! ….
you all have done great job !
I hope you have a chance going to ISS and beyond , and waiting to read your blog from sapce too :)
next time when Anousheh phone you , tell her how much all we love her , and lookforward to see in future she , and other woman/man , like her making this blue globe a peaceful planet for all in all countries :)
but if you hadn’t time to say all of these , only say HELLO from Zari to her ;)

[This text has been automatically translated from Portuguese by translate.Google.com
if to see the space of the Land through a telescope already is pretty here, imagines to make in contrast, to observe the Land of the space. It must be pretty and emotive. Who knows one day this if it becomes normal stroll, as a trip to the some city. IT USES TO ADVANTAGE! Kisses! ]

I am really proud of you Anousheh! You set the bar really high for many women around the world and help the man kind to realize the importance of space travel one more time. I am looking forward for your lunar landing dearest. Best regards
Tirdad Daei

Your experience is our experience.
Your being lifted up, lifts all of us up. Your aspirations being realized inspire us all to aspire.
Anousheh – one little star that women, men and children all over our world can look to and believe that somehow, through our dreaming and our work, our simple human lives can be better, that people of all cultures can get along and work together to accomplish something wonderful. You dream and therefore we are better.
Peace,
Bill Kelly
Georgia, USA

Olá, I am Brazilian and I live in Rio De Janeiro. When I see experièncias I eat its I I feel that he is next the day where any citizen of our planet will make a space trip. This is fantastic! Congratulations.

Hi,
I am an Iranian-American. I always knew the combination of the two heritage and cultural grain, would make for such a potent and positive contributing force. One of zeal, determination and love and the other of hope, opportunity and tolerance.

My niece are so proud of you. They are now 17 and still grappling with their identity and you’ve made it that much easier for them to truely be proud and see through the negative media stereotypes that is constantly bounced onto them.

Thanks for leaving something behind that will matter and make all of us proud.

Watched you fly over about 20 minutes before the sun rose, amidst the last of an annual eclipse, I think in the middle of Day Two. I actually waved. Among the young, and even among increasingly crusty space enthusiasts, those who’ve watched every (and I mean EVERY flight) from the late Admiral Shepherd’s suborbital Mercury up to including your launch, rendevous and arrival on ISS, are somehow more captivated this mission than I’d have ever thought possible. Sorry about the initial Zero-G discomfort, but thanks so much for the details about little things like the wait after docking, and such. People identify with the human side, and the sheer joy you much be experiencing. It will all be over too quickly, but I’ll bet you’ll be back, though, like Peter… some of us are going to beat you to the Lunar Highlands. Savor EVERY MOMENT, take notes, and THEN tell us all about it! Don’t waste too much window time typing on a laptop.

Dear Anoushed,
May God continue blessing you, your family, the astronauts there and the world here!
Many thanks for your encouraging words of wisdom. What touched me more was to know that since you were a child you laid down looking to the stars and also your wish that all people could experiment what you are living. Probably tomorrow, if God’s will, I’ll preach something like “The Power of a Dream”. Don’t worry. Be Happy! You deserve!
Delmar Dorneles, Porto Alegre, south of Brazil.

How locky are you peter!
I realy love to have just a saved message from orbit in persian for my visitors in http://www.spacescience.ir or our TV program,”Night Sky”.
Whould you please ask Mrs. Ansari to arrange this for Persian People.
Thank you very much in advance.

Hi Anousheh… I’ve enjoyed following you through the web, the blog, and nasa tv. Congratulations on achieving orbit (and HappyBirthday)! The story about your phone call to Peter is awesome. Give me a call to say “Hello” ok? :) 678-362-0316.

dear anoshe
i am iranian . my english not very goood. i am very happay for this opporunity that happen for you. you must know god like you beacuse now you have holy spirit i think beacuse for this please ask god to support all people.i will happy to answer me.
mohammad

That earth which you have seen with your on sale stuck eyes of the Soyuz ship is that the God gave us to the human beings to take care of it… but we are destroying it. They move your emotions to me. your emotions move to me. God takes care of to you

In my Intro to Islam’s class, the professor asked us to bring any articles about Islam in the news. When most of my friends brought the articles about Al-Qaede,jihad, Iraq and yada yada yada, I carefully printed an article about you from USA today and sent it to my prof.He was impressed that I paid attention to you than the bombs blowing up in Iraq.

For me, your achievement to be the first female space tourist is something that Muslims worldwide from Sarajevo to Kuala Lumpur can be proud of.

It amazed me when most Iranian-Americans who fled the Islamic Republic of Iran refused to be associated with Islam, you proudly called yourself as a “liberal Muslim”. Those two words were so soothing to hear.

Young Muslim women are looking for icons to emulate and you will be one that inspires many Muslim women to pick up sciences and reach for the moon.

I hope you will travel to the Muslim world and help inspire women there. Go to Afghanistan and teach the men there about what they’ll be missing if they refused to educate their women there – seeing one more Muslim making history.

Dear Anoushe
I am writing from your born country, all the time I am following your travel, the Iranian people talking about you all the time too, Anoushe is our hero, because you are talking about peace, about love and about knowledge, if you are looking carefully to the earth, you can find a map like a cat, the people in this small pieces of word thinking about you.
Hope for healthy return.

Dear Mrs. Ansary
these days in Iran every body talks about you.
you do an unforgetable and huge task.
we are very proud of you specially me!
i think you are my sister. this is the way that i feel close to you and like you.
you might be a member of all iranian family around the world
you become history…
congradulation
Sandra
An iranian girl from Beijing :-)

Dear Anooshe, been in Space is my old dream too. Particularly I like to see Jupiter. It’s the most beautiful planet I believe.
I’m so happy that you had peace message from Iranians and also very on time it was.
I hope you enjoy your trip
When I saw you I realized even that dream that I gave up because I thought was impossible, can come true.

Hi,I am sending you this from Isfahan.We are pride of you for being the first Iranian woman who taking that space trip.I know how hard must have been when you were coming out from our earth atmosphere.You are brave as your ancestors.Take a look at us from way up there.

Anousheh- What a wonderful thing you are doing! To those who feel that the 20 Million dollars would have been better spent on the poor, consider this: For many people in the west, Anousheh is a wonderful, positive example of an achieving female muslim. This trip could have benefits far greater than the money which was spent on the trip. So many people from Iran, europe, USA and the rest of the world are fascinated by this extraordinary woman. Anousheh’s amazing journey brings people together; it gestates hope, interest, and dialogue. Keep up the good work, Anousheh! We look forward to more entries in your blog. – Ziggy

What an enjoyable time I have had reading of your experiences of launch and orbiting the Earth. Little things that never are discussed are most facinating – such as the “Smell of Space”. I was so impressed by it, that I created a post on my Astronomical forum and it can be found here:

It also includes links to your homesite so others who visit my site may read along with your time on board the ISS.

At times when I have Telescopes set up for the public, we check to see when the ISS will appear and zoom overhead in Chicago. Everyone who catches it is awestruck and amazed we can view it. Quite a bright object it is and with the new solar panels – it will be even brighter. And now with your words, it seems like we have a friend on board.

We all thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and we wish you a safe and exciting voyage.

Hello Mrs. Ansari
I am a girl from Iran Yazd.
Mrs. Ansari I heard & saw your talk on CNN. It was very short but very very clear and it was FANTASTIC.
I learned it from your talk then that dreams really can come true.
It was that night that I found it out that what I really wanted and I will do everything to to be successful. You will know me after many years because I am going to be very important & famous… just like you!
Now it is 10:45 PM in Iran. I will look at you tonight please look at me from sky.
I really love you. Specially when I see you are still remembering your memories in Iran.
I hope that you can read this from a thirteen year old girl from the place where you were born; Iran.
I will pray for you a lot to be back safely.
with love from
sima

@Jorge (No.25):
I learned at school: Don’t give them the food, give them the education and the tools so that they learn how to feed themself in a better way and for long. This is much better than being depended from someone else. Many poor countries suffer from corruption, war and many other problems. One way out is better education, for boys *and* girls. I see that Anousheh is helping through charity organizations like the Ashoka Foundation and others. And by realizing her dream to fly into space, she shares her experiences with many people, in particular young girls in the country where she was born, and give them shiny inspirations. And don’t forget, there are thousand of workers in the russian space industry, who will make a better living out of her trip.. many of them have a hard living, but they continue to work for the space program, because they also have a dream. Better spent 20 M. Euro for the above, than for diamonds, partying and other expensive stuff… Many governments are cutting money for space science and education, which is bad. From personal experience I know how kids and young people can be motivated by space science and there is quite a high percentage of those, who will continue with their interest in science, space and technology. In space there are no borders.. it doesn’t matter if you are black or white or from which country you are. We all sit in the same boat, our blue earth, sailing through the universe.. We need more people to to have this view and share it with others.. Once the earth was flat, now people need to understand that we don’t need borders.. we are all humans and should live peacefully together to fight the real problems, like climate change, hunger, etc.. Anousheh’s flight into space is a little step into this direction..

Dear Anousheh
I just wnated to let you now that you are in the hearts and minds of all Iranians these days. We are all proud of you.
What strikes me about you is not your being rich and being able to afford a space trip but rather being a successful and patriotic Iranian female entrepreneur in a foreign country and your love for space adventure.
I was surprised to hear that you’ve never been to Iran ever since you left. I hope you will get the chance to travel to Iran once you come back to Earth. Things are not as bad as you read and hear in the news about Iran these days. Iran has changed alot in a positive manner over the past ten years. I am sure you will find many things to appreciate here.
Be omide didare shoma dar sarzamine ahouraeeye Iran e bozorg. Payandeh Iran!
Parastou, Tehran

Hi Ansari,
As I watch you and the entire ISS crew, Soyuz and Atlantis on NASA TV, I delight in seeing the people of earth working together for a common cause. It wasn’t so long ago that this was impossible. You all are proof that it is possible to use our wondrous technology not only for dominance but for the good of man kind and of earth. God bless the crew and to all future missions into space. Cant wait to see the day of a permanent moon base.

Who would not be jaulous of you right now :)….Too see mother earth from outer space _must_ be the most incredible thing ever! My self sure wont to go one day….when the prices, hits “average joe prices” ;o).

The life is funny! While you pay $20.000.000 for to see the world of the space, milions of peoples die with hungry. But is the life and we stay here, in the same world that you see of the space. Congratulations!

I watch NASA tv everyday, to get information and news about you…. I am really happy and proud of you… Your courage will be always a great guide for me… as a woman, as an engineer, I admire you….there is something very special in you…money can not bring all….

(We will be very thankful if somebody forwards this message to Mrs. Ansari, A.S.A.P please)

Dear Mrs. Ansari,
Thanks a lot for your kind attention to the amateur radio operators of Iran and the nice QSO we had on sep. 24 by ARISS.
As you had desired, we have arranged a group of students to come here tomorrow for a talk with you. We will video cam the whole talk so we can show it in schools to all the other students who can’t manage to be here tomorrow. On Monday, Sept. 25, we will be ready to contact you from 07:15 to 07:25 UTC and from 08:50 to 09:00 UTC.
Also in our talk tomorrow, we’d appreciate it if you would give all the Iranian students a message on improving in space sciences.
Same as today, we will call RS0ISS at 144.490 MHz (Region 3 uplink) and we’ll try to hear you at 145.800 MHz (Worldwide downlink).
We hope to hear you again from ISS.
Thanks in advance.
73 de EP3RF

The day you went up was one of my highest points in life as an Iranian. So was the day that Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel peace Prize. May be one day The Iranian women save us from the darkness of “mankind” disaster.
Thank you
Farid Bozorgmehr

Go Baby Go.Return safe and sound Anoosheh.
You are doeing the best thing you can,(sharing the moments with us).No one had took this initiative to call people for respecting
the earth.Please continue to write all your experiences,and go on with your peace and humanright and exploration campaign.May some day all the space lovers can get to see their dream come true.Until then GO Anoosheh go!Ishalla

lovely space explorer ,
(I really believe you are an Explorer , not a turist )

I’m intersted in the moment when you come back and maybe at your home , sitting , and reading all of these words which thosands around the world have written for you …
I think you will cry…
especially some beautiful words from Iran …
you become an idol for millions !
IDOL of HOPE TO FOLLOWING DREAMS

please if it’s possible for you , and you have no problem ,
give a chance for your fans in Iran ,
have a trip here , Thanks :)

Hi Anousheh, even for us earth bound humans watching you make history has been such fun, Ive known you for years and I today as in the past years admire you. You exemplify the best in people, Ive always looked up to and aspired to maintain your family values. As a family you all have held together better than most I know and when you recounted the count down “4,3,2 (I love you Hamid) 1 blast off” brought a warm glow to my heart. Hamid is surly very proud as are the rest of your family. Anyway beyond that you have truly transcended sex, race, religion and politics, not a small achievement in it’s self. You see the world and humankind in a very different way than most and that is inspiring and is one of the gifts you are giving back. Keep up the good work and continue changing the world, Ill see you when you get back.

Dear Anousheh,
Don’t forget Iran..Iranian people are proud of you ..I’m pruod of you as an Iranian girl..
The Little Prince is my favorite book too. ;)
what do you feel now that you are separated Earth?…
آدمی در عالم خاکی نمی آید به دست
عالمی دیگر بباید ساخت وز نو آدمی

hi anoosheh
i am follow you traveling around the space
and very glad because:you are first irainan going to the space and first woman in the world traveling as tourist.
we hopeful after come back frome space see you in iran.
with best regards

I’ve been following this great space mission ever since your take off in Russia. Been coming back to this site to read your Blog and the many interesting comments from people from all over the world!

Well, all I can say is that among all the many others my thoughts often go up to the ISS, whishing you and your crew members all the best and a safe return to Earth!

I myself am a multinational (Italian-American-German), living in Germany presently, where Human Space Exploration is often considered a waste of money by many. I strongly disagree with that opinion.

However, there are lots of space enthusiasts that are deeply impressed and very proud of your mission, which may be called symbolic in many ways: Women have all the right and the place to be up there! And multinational missions may help tear down some of the walls in the heads and the hearts of so many narrowminded folks down here on this one Blue Planet we all share!

If only a few young and not so young human beings learn to understand that no matter which color our skin has, no matter in which God we trust, no matter where we live on our beautiful planet, we are all just ONE MANKIND, on a tiny ball-shaped small space ship in a damn cold vast universe, we already achieved a little step closer to global peace, tolerance and understanding each other’s lives. Maybe, just maybe, then our race has a pretty fair chance NOT to destroy ourselves.

Keep up your good spirits, you are a wonderful inspiration to all of us down here :-))

I just finished reading your bio & blog, you truly are an inspiration to everyone! Your accomplishments proves the American dream is possible for anyone. You’ve come and gone a looooong way baby! I look forward to reading your blog – keep writing. Congratualtion to the entire ISS Team from James in Edgewater, Florida!

As a Canadian boy, I began following the American space program way back in the days of Gemini. I was camping during the Apollo 11 landing and listened to the broadcast from a tinny tranistor radio while lying in my tent. The visuals in my mind were better than what I finally saw when I returned from my trip.

You are living my dream even though I know I will never make it to space. If you are flying over Canada and you get close to Toronto, give me a wave. Better yet, sneak up to the controls and waggle the new solar panels!

hi anoushe. how is it going with you.we feel very proud of your being there. hope you will share your experience with every one after your return on earth. how does the world look from ISS?
Wish you luck!!!!!!!!!!

javadpour heidari haghani nemati ghanbarnejad nazari jebraili

Comment by shahid beheshti university students — September 24, 2006 @ 9:05 pm

Hello Dear anousheh
I wish you success in your earth life & space life in all place of this world.

Dear Mrs Anousheh Ansari,
Hi, this morning (3rd of Mehr) and also in the 1st day of Mehr I went to the house-roof to see ISS carrying YOU and the other astronauts, nothing can be greater than making a dream come true, I’m 19 and I’m studying Electronic and Computer Engineering in Tehran University. I believe we (the students and anyone who dares to dream) have to learn how to achieve our dreams from you. I wish a safe and successful trip for you. God be with you.
Arah R, Tehran

Dear anousheh,
I don’t know what can I write that looks new for you up there, because others already showed their feeling to you with the most beaustiful ways possible. I just want to write and share this beautiful time of history with you. I was wathching and tracking your news all the time. Every time I read your writings and listen to your beautiful web site’s mucic, tears come out of my eyes involuntary.

Dear Ms. Anousheh(Cadet)
As an Iranian woman i am proud of you. You gave to all people around the world another look to Iranian people, and it is great. I heard some people asked you why you dont spend money for poor people instead going to space! And i want to response them that you are doing a great job, you are going to a direction that leads to saving our planet, and a direction which is great for next generation and toward human being improvement. Helping poor people is great too but there are many differences between these two, one is for present and another for future.
Best wishes
Kaivan

I am so jealous. You are experiencing the moment of a lifetime. God speed on your journey. Space travel has been my lifelong dream. It makes me so happy to see a young person such as yourself have this wonderful experience and opportunity. You have the heart and spirit of a pioneer!

You are the one who make us pride in Iran.After all this evevnts around us ,as political and economical pressures, this was the best news we could hear.
May be you cannot believe, but after your successful fligt I’m dreaming of the first Iranian in space and my happiness is more that it is an Iranian lady.

I would like to say my deep and truely congradulations and tahnk you for all the joy and pride you gave to all your people.

[…] Posted: Monday, September 25, 2006 5:01 PM by Alan Boyle Categories: Religion, Space Hypothetically, Iranian-born space passenger Anousheh Ansari might have had a chance of changing the timing for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The start of the month is determined by the first sighting of the lunar crescent after the new-moon phase – and Ansari, a Muslim, would have had a unique perspective on the moon, unimpeded by Earth’s atmosphere. There’s usually a bit of debate over what constitutes a valid sighting, or whether a sighting is even strictly necessary. But there was no need to draw Ansari into this year’s debate: On her Weblog, X Prize founder Peter Diamandis quotes Ansari as saying that she hadn’t had a chance to see the moon during the critical time. So that’s at least one religious controversy averted… […]

Hi Ms Ansari,
I’m writng from Esfahan..here in Esfahan we woke up at 8:AM and looked at the ISS , it must have been an amazing experience for you.
we are proud of you and wish you a lot of success.
Greetings
shahram az Esfahan

Hi Peter,
I’ve got an idea in my mind. I am sure that in future we gonna make it easier to travel to space, but my idea is why not making a simulation of space on the earth?!
Why not building a simulation of space station on the earth with exactly the same condition as we can experience up there, with the same views of earth and even with the same smell of the space. Tourists can stay there for an hour or a week to have the same experience.
It will be safe, cheap, easy to access for most of the people. Why not?!!
I am sure that Anousheh with her experience and intelligent can manage to do that when she come back.
Best regards,
Shahram

Anousheh, I am writing from Texas to say thank you for being such a great inspiration with your pioneer spirit and adventurous spirit….so many of us dream of experiencing space travel and you have shown us that the dream is attainable….I am so excited and happy for you!! Safe journey and I can’t wait to hear all about your incredible space voyage when you return to earth!!

hi dear anoushe.i am a girl in iran you know,i love universe.when u are working there in galexy,i feel good here beacause i think i am there with u and sitting beside u .feel love there.love from people on earth.

You and other crews are preparing to return earth on Thursday Sep.28 , I hope You be completely healthy . Really I know you are so busy , and maybe you are trying to use every minute of these last days , but if you can , please tell us again befor
re-entry and your land , this will be the last blog from space in this journey ! Thanks alot & alot ,
have a fare voyage :)
(though I don’t think read this words befor land :( )
lots of love

You and other crews are preparing to return earth on Thursday Sep.28 , I hope You be completely healthy . Really I know you are so busy , and maybe you are trying to use every minute of these last days , but if you can , please tell us again befor
re-entry and your land , this will be the last blog from space in this journey ! Thanks alot & alot ,
have a fare voyage :)
(though I don’t think you read this words befor land :( )
lots of love

I’m Nadine Trautner from Germany and I’m a friend of Vanessa’s. We translated your blog into German, because we wanted to give every German the chance to read your blog, don’t matter if he speaks english or not.

Your blog is comprehendible for every person, regardless he knows something of the physically operations on ISS.

As an iranian, i am proud to see what a success you are!! but my point is, seeing your competence and sucess, with the money for this trip, establishing a foundation, how many young competent iranain could have such possibility to blossum.

[…] Posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 12:15 AM by Alan Boyle Categories: Space Laura Rauch / AP file Flash from the past: SpaceShipOne astronaut Brian Binnie waves the flag atCalifornia’s Mojave Airport after his X Prize-winning flight on Oct. 4, 2004. It’s been exactly two years since a privately developed craft last flew a human to space, on a mission that won the $10 million Ansari X Prize. At the time, the founder of the X Prize said SpaceShipOne’s achievement on Oct. 4, 2004, heralded a “personal spaceflight revolution.” To some, that climactic X Prize flight seemed to kick off a commercial sprint to space as captivating as the superpower marathon initiated by Sputnik’s launch on Oct. 4, 1957. But it’s taking a while for this space race to get started – and the revolution’s success is by no means assured. One spectacular failure could conceivably slow down or even call a halt to the race. All this enthusiasm over low-cost spaceflight could end up as little more than a false start, as it did back in 1999. The X Prize’s organizers are already turning their attention to other frontiers as well, such as the genetic challenge being announced today, or the automotive prize due to be announced next year. So two years after the last private space pilot finished his flight, what does the X stand for? In the beginning, the “X” in X Prize stood for “experimental” – as well as the Roman numeral for 10, as in the $10 million purse awarded to the first team to send a privately developed, piloted ship past the 100-kilometer boundary of space twice within two weeks. That’s what Peter Diamandis, founder and chairman of the X Prize Foundation, told Philanthropy magazine last year. This week, that $10 million figure and the experimental thrills are popping up again, in connection with the genomics prize. So far there’s nothing that rich being offered for private-sector space feats: Billionaire Robert Bigelow has essentially put a hold on his $50 million America’s Space Prize for orbital spaceflight, deciding that no one could satisfy the prize conditions by the 2010 deadline. And NASA’s Centennial Challenges are largely limited to earthly analogs, such as this month’s $2 million Lunar Lander Challenge. But Diamandis says the seeds have been sown for many more space challenges down the line – with a key backer of the first X Prize, Iranian-American entrepreneur and recent space flier Anousheh Ansari, playing a leading role. “Space is first and foremost in my heart,” he told me this week, “and if you look at Anousheh’s blog, you can see her speaking about what we’ve been talking about … X Prizes for orbital flight, for the moon, even for asteroids.” Since the X Prize was won, the foundation has added some high-powered board members, including Google co-founder Larry Page, SpaceX founder Elon Musk, genomics whiz Craig Venter and robotics whiz Dean Kamen. The foundation has added employees as well, boosting the staff to 40 people – which is more than it was at the height of the X Prize flights, Diamandis said. He said the decision was made to devote one-third of the foundation’s resources to space-related activities, such as this month’s X Prize Cup in New Mexico, and the other two-thirds to other frontiers. The annual X Prize Cup was “really critical” to keeping the personal spaceflight revolution going, he said: “It’s not enough to spark it. You have to keep the attention and the pressure on.” But an annual festival won’t do much good if the personal spaceflight business isn’t a real business. And even Diamandis admits that the past two years haven’t quite matched his wildest dreams. “I wish we had had additional flights to 100 kilometers by now,” he said, “but of the 25 contenders, about seven or eight are still viable and moving forward. I’ve talked to some of the teams, and when it comes to raising capital and having suborbital flight taken seriously, there’s a night and day difference between what it was before the X Prize and what it is now.” SpaceShipOne’s flights definitely took the “giggle factor” out of the idea of private-sector spaceflight. More companies seem to be seriously trying to solve the puzzle of low-cost access to space – including members of the aerospace establishment such as Lockheed Martin. “We have effectively credentialed suborbital flight as a new and viable industry, and we’ve attracted private capital to the industry,” Diamandis declared. But is it for real? There was much of the same feeling back in the mid-1990s, when the rise of companies such as Iridium, Teledesic and Globalstar created visions of a satellite bonanza for launch-industry entrepreneurs – people such as Gary Hudson, who has been working for nearly 40 years to stir up a revolution in the launch industry. He recalled this week that it was “actually easy to convince people” to invest in space ventures back in 1969, when men first walked on the moon and Hudson began his own business quest. But in 1979, after Apollo’s end, “things had slipped around and it was really a hard sell.” Then, in 1989, in the midst of the space shuttle program, Hudson said there were heightened hopes that truly reusable, affordable rocket ships were just around the corner. But in 1999, the bottom dropped out of the satellite telecom business, Iridium went bust, and the visions for entrepreneurial spaceflight began to look like an illusion. “By 2009, it will become real,” Hudson predicted. “And it’s only taken 40 years.” Why is he so sure things will turn out differently this time? “There’s exactly one thing that’s different,” he said. “What that is, is that in the late ’90s all of us were having to scramble for funding. Today, the bulk of the progress is being made by individuals or businesses that are spending their own dollars.” As examples, he listed Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Robert Bigelow’s Bigelow Aerospace and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. “As long as they’re persistent, there’s little likelihood that setbacks or market twists and turns are going to dissuade these people, who have committed not only their fortunes, but also their egos, to this business continuing.” March’s unsuccessful maiden launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 1 illustrates the point, he said. “It’s not uncommon to lose two or three vehicles, or have less than optimal performance when you strike out and do something that’s new,” Hudson said. “I expect setbacks, but the real difference is that there are no investors to be deterred. “Investors are easily spooked,” he observed. “Zealots – and I mean that in the good sense – are not.” To be sure, the fact that high-profile billionaires and millionaires are spending their own money on space ventures also boosts the courage of angel investors, venture capitalists and government program managers who have less of a taste for adventure. “A rising tide lifts all boats,” Hudson said. You could argue that Hudson is riding one of those boats. He’s currently the chief executive officer (and founder) of Air Launch, which is working on the Pentagon-funded Falcon project to develop a new breed of low-cost launch vehicles. Hudson said Air Launch’s QuickReach booster could have its first flight in late 2008, depending on the funding schedule. That’s just about the time that Virgin Galactic, Rocketplane Kistler and other suborbital spaceflight ventures might be getting off the ground. NASA’s $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, which aims to encourage the development of new spaceships to service the international space station in the 2010 time frame, provides another example of how things have changed in the past two years, Hudson said. Transformational Space, a consortium that includes Air Launch, lost out in its bid for COTS funding – but Hudson said he was hopeful there would be more opportunities coming up. “The groundwork has been laid for so many years,” he said. “It’s just starting to bear fruit.” Back in 1999, Hudson bemoaned the fact that capital was being drawn away from space ventures to be put into seemingly cool dot-coms like pet-supply Web sites. This time around, he doesn’t expect the personal spaceflight revolution to lose the spotlight. And the fact that rocket science is glamorous again could well be counted as yet another legacy of the X Prize race. “There’s no other enterprise out there right now that has the coolness factor of what we’re doing, that’s for sure,” Hudson said. […]

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